She Should Have Retired Sooner
by Shopowner93
Summary: Every so often Headmistress McGonagall dreams of retiring to a quieter life. Perhaps she might have, if she hadn't had the misfortune of becoming Headmistress to the spawn of the most clever, dangerous, and rule breaking students in all her years of teaching. Thirteen children and somehow they were all related to the Marauders, The Weasley Twins, and The Golden Trio.
1. Chapter 1

It would go down as the greatest and bloodiest fight in Hogwarts history. School fight, that is. Nothing could ever quite compare with the bloodshed of the Battle of Hogwarts, though there were a few who ran around comparing the number of injuries. It was certainly the most visible and contained fight (only in the sense that the fighting occurred in one place) the school had ever seen. Almost every student and teacher had been present. Interestingly this fight was not fought with wands, but with fists. And of course, like anything of interest during the time, it involved quite a lot of Potters and quite a lot of Weasleys. It had all started, they said, because Michael Shaw, a 4th year Ravenclaw had made a terrible mistake.

The stadium was beside itself. In the air, the banners of every house, even a few from Ravenclaw who had just narrowly lost the Quidditch House Cup, waved and fluttered. Chants and cheers rained down on the Gryffindor players as they landed. James Sirius was hardly off his broom before he tackled his sister in a bear hug. He kissed her roughly, shaking her in his excitement and victory before moving on to kiss the Gryffindor Seeker, Ian Simmons. He wasn't the only one. Her cousin Rose, the team's Keeper, and Bailey Paddington, a Chaser, were hugging in midair. Hugo was waving his Beater's club around and dancing.

Lily smiled so hard her cheeks were starting to burn, but she relished the pain. She had just made a play that would have sent her mother sprinting with elation. She couldn't wait to write home.

As the chants for Gryffindor roared to an all time high, Lily spun, taking in the colors and looking for him. They were friends. Well, friends until Michael had asked her to sit with him at dinner after the match. Lily's excitement bubbled and threatened to boil over. Her cousin Rose ran over and swept her off her feet. While she spun and laughed, Lily still looked. When she found him, her face fell a little. After pulling herself from Rose's grasp, Lily ran over to the retreating back.

"Michael!" she said, pulling on his arm. Her friend turned to face her. "Pretty good, huh?" she said, breathlessly.

"A pretty good idiot, you mean?" Michael snapped.

Lily's arm dropped. "What?"

Almost everyone else was red faced from excitement and adrenaline, but Michael's look was different. "Your stunt. You made me look like an idiot." He pulled away sharply. "Where did you pull that from, anyway?"

Lily stared as his anger washed over her. Michael had a tendency to be rough around the edges, but never like this. "No, I didn't," she argued. "It was a good play."

Good play was an understatement. Simmons was going to catch the snitch, there had been no question of that. Compared to the Ravenclaw Seeker, he was the better of the two, and he had spent most of the game trying to throw his opponent off.

Catching the Snitch would have meant nothing if Gryffindor hadn't been at least seventy points up. It was a common dilemma in Quidditch, but one the Gryffindors couldn't lose. Not in James and Freddie's last year. In the last seconds of the game, Gryffindor was only fifty points up, and the Ravenclaw Seeker had spotted the Snitch. Ian had no choice but to dive for it too. As he sped off, James scored another goal for Gryffindor. The crowd cheered with hope and anticipation. A Ravenclaw Chaser grabbed the Quaffle and threw it across the pitch, right for Michael. Ian was almost at the Snitch. Lily saw her opportunity. As Michael reached for the ball, Lily smacked it out his hands, steadied hers, and tore off for the Ravenclaw goals. It had all happened in seconds. Three seconds before Ian's fist wrapped around the Snitch. Michael caught up and made to cut Lily off. She didn't know why she did it, it was crazy in hindsight-her mother had fallen forty feet the one time she had done it and she was a professional. Two seconds. Michael turned and Lily jumped, pushing herself off her broom, off Michael's back, flying unsupported through the air and spiking the Quaffle as hard as she could. It soared passed the Keeper's fingers just as Ian closed his hand around the fluttering wings of the ball. Lily landed safely on her broom and the stadium exploded.

It was a marvelous game. Truly one she'd remember forever, but Michael clearly hadn't seen it that way. "Lucky is what it was, maybe."

"I was good."

"Please," he sneered. "The only reason you didn't plummet to your death was because I pushed your broom in front of you." Lily's eyes narrowed at the lie, but Michael continued. "You're only on the team because your brother's captain. And Merlin knows he can't do anything without his posse. If your brother wasn't a slimy Slytherin he'd be on the team too."

Michael tried to turn away, but Lily grabbed his Jersey and yanked him back. "Don't talk about my brothers."

"Get off me!" he yelled, pushing her away. Everyone said Michael Shaw was ruthless when it came to Quidditch. In the locker room, they joked and mimicked all kinds of animals they said he looked like. James pretended to quiver in fear as Freddie paraded around throwing jerseys and waters in a "rage." But he had never been anything but nice to Lily. Lily who was on the team for the first year. Lily who had lost to him months back. He had been nothing but sweet and encouraging then.

But Lily wasn't letting go. In this regard, among many, she was too much like her mother. Her fingernails pierced his arm. "They're right, aren't they? You're a sore loser."

"Don't sit on your high horse just yet. You're a one trick pony whose got no talent except what her brothers let her have."

Lily clenched her jaw as her eyes stung. She had told him that in confidence, spilled a little of her insecurities to get to know him better. It was a hard thing, being a Potter and a Weasley, especially when it came to making friends. Her father had once said that she should never aim to hurt. There was nothing wrong with walking away.

But this had been good. This had been hers and she couldn't let him take that. Lily's mouth opened before she could stop herself, "Then I'll just go back to my brothers. Maybe they can make sure someone watches your cage properly this time," she spat, eyeing his thick-haired arms.

Instead of twisting away, like she had expected him to, Michael wrenched his arm out of Lily's, reared back, and punched her clean in the face.

And this was the mistake Michael Shaw had made, because not only had hurt the youngest Potter-which would have been enough to send him to the Hospital Wing-he had done it while her two older brothers had been watching.

James Potter appeared out of nowhere. Before Lily even registered the pain in her face, she saw a flash of red, and two bodies went crashing down. And then, utter chaos.

In a rush of bodies, the two teams attacked each other, each equally trying to protect and defend their own team members. A Ravenclaw wrapped his arm around James' neck, successfully yanking him off before Fred Weasley ripped him away. Two Ravenclaws pushed Fred to the ground and were immediately engaged by Ian Simmons and Lydia Barnes, a Gryffindor Beater. Red hair went flying as Rose jumped on a Ravenclaw Beater's back, bringing her down and snatching the club that had been aimed at Ian from her hand. Someone pulled Rose's hair, and suddenly both Lily and Hugo were there, Hugo twisting the guys arm around his back. All around them the cheers of the crowd roared in a different kind of excitement and anticipation.

High in the stands, Headmistress McGonagall had stopped mid-applause. She had perfect confidence that Madam Hooch could settle a Quidditch brawl easily, but she realized, just a second after Mr. Potter had dropped Mr. Shaw, that this would be no normal fight. All around the stands, bodies were moving, most to lean over and watch from above. It was those moving towards the stairs that alerted her. She was the first professor her feet.

She was halfway down the stairs when another person knocked her aside.

"Ms. Weasley!" she yelled, reaching out to pull the Fourth year and Sixth year back. A waste of breath, really. Roxanne and Molly Weasley flew down the stairs.

The Headmistresss chased after them. She rushed out of the stairs, blinking the sun from her eyes, and gasped. In the few minutes it had taken had taken her to reach the field, the fight had escalated. Roxanne and Molly had almost reached the fray, and from across the way Albus Potter had pushed his way passed a group of watching Slytherins. The Prefect tore across the field in a flash of black and green, ripping his robes from his body, a dark, determined look on his face. All around students were charging across the field. The Headmistress ran on as quickly as she could.

It seemed the no one but Madam Hooch was using a wand, and yet the brawl only seemed to charge on more ferociously. Fred Weasley was Stunned off another player only to be replaced by Hugo Weasley. From the Ravenclaw section, Dominique and Louis Weasley sprinted forward, their scarves trailing along behind them. Hufflepuff Lucy Weasley streaked passed the Headmistress without a backward glance. Together, she and Ian Simmons yanked a Ravenclaw off another Gryffindor. More Hufflepuffs came after her. Ravenclaws swarmed in response. The Slytherins too had joined, fiercely defending their friends from the warring houses.

By the time Headmistress McGonagall had truly reached the battle, she was joined by Professor Longbottom. Wands appeared and Stunners flew, and still it took several long minutes to achieve any kind of order. The amount of students sent to the Hospital Wing sent Madam Pomphrey into a rage. It was nothing compared to what the Headmistrees had for those Longbottom brought up to her office.

As Minerva McGonagall stood at her desk holding Michael Shaw's broken broom in her bloodless fist-the same broom Albus Potter had broken over Mr. Shaw's back-she finally realized her wish of retiring to a slower, quieter life would never happen. She glared at the 11 Weasleys currently standing in her office. There was blood everywhere. Lucy had a split lip. James Potter had blood on his hands and on the bridge of his nose behind his broken glasses. Roxanne held her side gingerly, while Lily held a hand under her nose, hot blood slipping through her fingers. Both Hugo and Dominique sported swelling eyes, and Louis had blood coming from his mouth. Molly was trying very hard to balance on one foot and Albus Potter looked unconcerned about the bruise forming on the side of his face. But what really pissed Minerva off was that not one of them looking anything but determined and smug. And all the while Professor Longbottom tried to hide his gleeful smile behind his hand. He failed.

She took a deep, shaking breath. She would have to be Headmistress until the say she died, she thought as her eyes swept over her very frequent victims.

By all means, who else would handle this shit?


	2. Chapter 2

***Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling**

**Thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed.**

* * *

><p>"Do you two have any other questions?"<p>

James Sirius Potter and Jane Longbottom glanced at each other. Both shook their heads.

"All right. Then I will let you both go," said Headmistress McGonagall, rising to her feet. The students followed suit, looking eager to get to back to their friends after the long introductory discussion. They bid the Headmistress goodnight and turned toward the door, before she remembered.

"Mr. Potter," she called out suddenly. James and Jane both turned around. McGonagall eyed James sharply. "I should hope that I will not have to remind you of your duties to this school as Head Boy at any later dates, Mr. Potter."

He frowned. "Of course not, Headmistress. You were very clear tonight."

It was customary for the Headmaster to discuss the role of Head Boy and Girl with those new to the position, but their conversation had gone on so long, it was approaching midnight. She had no way of getting around selecting James Potter for the position of Head Boy. She tried not to be so shocked by his accomplishments, but really the boy excelled at anything he set his mind to-he was first in his class and Quidditch Captain, not to mention the calm and friendly manner he had with the younger students. Unfortunately, he and his cousins had a die-hard penchant for trouble. And he excelled at that too. The Headmistress had wanted to make sure she had covered every point possible about his responsibilities.

She stared back at his innocent face and frowned. "I know about the parties, Mr. Potter. I know you are responsible."

"Parties, Headmistress?"

"The ones where hundreds of banned Weasleys Wizard Wheezes Products suddenly appear and an incredible number of students are in chaos after hours."

But James simply shook his head and shrugged. "I'm sorry, Headmistress. I don't know what you mean."

McGonagall continued as if she had not heard him. "I have yet to catch you and your family members, but do not think that I am not aware."

"I can assure you, Headmistress," James said with a sured nod. "I am not planning any parties."

She sighed and sank back into her seat. "Tread carefully, Mr. Potter," she warned him. "Goodnight."

The Head Boy and Girl nodded and then proceeded through the door and down the stairs.

Never believe a Potter, she thought.

* * *

><p>As they rounded the first corner away from the Headmistress' Jane grinned slyly at James.<p>

"I heard this year's is going to be in the Hufflepuff Common Room again!" she half-whispered, looking at James expectantly.

An eyebrow disappeared behind his wild, unruly black hair. "This year's what?"

"The Flash Party," said Jane, hanging onto his arm. "Come on, James. We're friends."

"Flash party?" He shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Jane sighed and dropped his arm dramatically. "Fine then. But I will get an invite, won't I?"

"Jane, if you want to throw a party, I would hope you'd invite yourself."

"You're not going to tell me anything at all, are you?" she said, stopping them both in the middle of the hall. They were both seventh years now, and James had grown almost a head taller than her. She smiled at him, the smile that usually had him sliding next to her to eat in the Great Hall, but it didn't work. James stuffed his hands in his pocket, shrugged again, and turned away towards the towers.

"What would your parents say, Longbottom?" He talked over his shoulder as he went. "Looking for parties and trouble. There may just be a blood traitor in you yet."

He grinned, using the word the Weasley children had endearingly taken to calling each other.

Jane watched him go, already excited for the day when her invitation would come.

She didn't now that this year, invitations wouldn't be needed.

* * *

><p>It was Lucy Weasley who'd had the idea, and it had started like every other great Weasley plan: with dinner at the Burrow, a problem, and a strong desire to prove oneself.<p>

They were gathered together as they were almost every weekend, except this time there was cake for Uncle Harry's birthday. As Grandmum Weasley passed down plates, Lucy heard Uncle George and Uncle Ron explaining to Uncle Bill their issue with exposing their product to students-their biggest market. They, of course, had the shop in Diagon Alley and Uncle Ron had helped opened the shop in Hogsmeade. But still they said, they wanted to branch out, and with students only coming to the store during Hogsmeade trips, there was hardly ever time to truly expose them all to the newest products. Lucy had listened intently. She had been to the Hogsmeade shop in the past, but as she and her twin sister Molly would only be starting Hogwarts this year and WWW products were banned, they would never get a chance to help Uncle George experiment like they did then.

Nothing came of it that night. Soon they were all being herded onto the Hogwarts Express and she was being sorted. HUFFLEPUFF! the Sorting Hat had shouted and Lucy had run to her new table. She was happy to be in her house. It was truly where she belonged, but as she watched the last of the sorting, she couldn't help but feel left out as most of her family, including Molly, sat at the Gryffindor table.

"James, I need to talk to you," Lucy called to her second year cousin one day.

"Hey Luc," he said, stuffing the last bit of breakfast into his mouth. They made their way out of the Great Hall. Lucy grabbed his shoulder and pulled him aside.

"I want to do something big."

James looked at her skeptically. "Like what, Weasley?"

"Exactly. Weasley. I know you and Teddy and Vic and Dom run around here pulling pranks all the time. But what, I ask, is that doing to help the family?" She asked, repeating the practiced speech.

James scrunched up his face. "We don't pull pranks to help the family, Lucy."

"Well, maybe we should," said Teddy appearing suddenly. "What are we talking about?"

"I want to throw a party. A big one," Lucy whispered as more students started funneling out of the Great Hall. "In Hufflepuff house. I've been asking, and we never have good parties."

"That's true," murmured Teddy.

"Can we invite first years too?" asked Molly, standing next to her sister.

"You can't throw a huge party with first years!" said Teddy. "Who would want to go? And why do you want to anyway?"

"I'll tell you who," said Lucy. "What's the number one thing on the Forbidden Items List?"

"Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," they all answered.

"And who has access to as much product as they want?"

"We do!" said James, suddenly looking more excited.

"And what's Uncle George's biggest issue."

Molly looked at her. Lucy smiled. "Getting to Hogwarts students! Sales are through the roof throughout the summer, but he can hardly market while we're in school. Hogsmeade weekends aren't enough if no one knows what's out there."

"So you want to throw a party where we give out samples?" asked Molly slowly.

"And invite everyone," answered Lucy.

"Can't throw a party that big," said Teddy. The prefect's badge shined against his black robes. "We'll get caught right away."

"What if that's the point?" said James. He wasn't looking at them anymore. Lucy could say the wheels in his head spiraling. A slow smile grew and took over his face. He turned to her. "Lucy. This is going to be the best."

That first year, Victorie, Teddy, Dominique, James, Freddie, Molly, and Lucy had hidden small cards that dissolved after you read the message on every bed pillow they could find. The day before Christmas holiday hundreds of Hogwarts students snuck from their towers and dungeons and ran down to the packed Hufflepuff common room, not sure of what to expect. Those who had managed to squeeze into the common room, stood around awkwardly waiting. And then Teddy Lupin jumped onto a table and screamed at the top of his voice:

"I HAVE ONE REQUEST: YOU DON'T TELL ANYONE WE DID THIS, AND WE'LL DO IT AGAIN! DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DETENTIONS! SO HAVE SOME FUN AND DON'T GET CAUGHT!" A murmur ran through the crowd.

Teddy put his hands in the air. "WELCOME TO THE FIRST EVER WEASLEY'S WIZARD WHEEZES FLASH PARTY!" he pulled his arm back and threw a flameless firework into the air. It exploded at the same moment the lights in the common room suddenly cut off. Sprinkled through the crowd, the others threw WWW products into the air including streamers that mimicked your dance moves, and bubbles that thrummed music like hundreds of speakers and lit up of the common room in a series of lights. Teddy jumped on the tallest table, his hair changing colors with the beat, while the students screamed in elation.

The party lasted a whole 4 minutes before a handful of professors came crashing through, having noticed the trail of students leading them to the kitchen. When they did, they found hundreds of students from different houses but not a single Weasley (or Lupin). Quite a few detentions were handed out, but no one told them who started the party.

* * *

><p>By Lucy's sixth year, the WWW Flash parties had become infamous, many letters had been sent home to all Weasley parents (despite none of them having ever been caught at the parties or with WWW products in their pockets), and Uncle George had started designing products for the parties especially. Every year and with the addition of more Weasley brains-particularly Rosie, who had inherited her father's strategic mind-the parties had become more elaborate. Last year they had managed to get sneak people onto the grounds. They threw the Flash party in the greenhouses where it raged for almost eleven minutes-their best time yet. Jane Longbottom had been trying to weasel the next party out of each and every one of them. Others believed they couldn't top themselves. It had almost become a challenge for the professors to stop the next party, or at least catch the planners in the act. Six years in and they still hadn't. Lucy had good marks and all, but these parties were her pride and joy. (The others had taken to bowing to her before starting their planning during the summer-so that helped too.)<p>

As Lucy made her way down to the Quidditch Game for the first match of the season, Slytherin versus Gryffindor, she couldn't help but smile. Every now and then she caught a snippet of conversation. They had never gone so long without throwing a party. They always did it in the first two weeks of school. The rumors were that they had stopped because James had become Head Boy and Molly, Albus and Louis were Prefects. Lucy pressed her tongue into her cheek.

The stadium was packed today. You could say it was because the weather was great and that it was the first game, but Lucy knew it was because her Aunts, Hermione and Ginny, and Uncles, Harry and Ron, were in the crowd. She waved to Uncle Ron as she followed her house to their seats. Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny sat on the Slytherin side, today supporting Al, while Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione sat on the Gryffindor side. Plenty of other parents came to games like these, but all around the pitch necks craned to get looks of her famous family members.

The players flew out and the game started and Lucy cheered on her family. Keeper Rose made an amazing save in the first minutes of the game. Lily, James, and Freddie flew as synchronized as ever. Hugo too was playing his absolute best, but it was Albus who Lucy was watching. He was by far the best Seeker on all the House teams, but when Gryffindor gained forty points on them he suddenly slammed into James so hard, they both almost lost their grips on their brooms

"Foul!" yelled the Ravenclaw commentator with everyone else.

Albus and James started knocking each other around. Madam Hooch blew her whistle sharply and called for a penalty.

"But Potter calls for a quick time out," called the commentator, watching as fourteen players landed. "That was a pretty dirty hit from his own brother. They-what?"

Hundreds of heads turned as Ginny Potter suddenly stood from her seat, made her way to the edge of the stands and jumped off. Shrieks rang through the air, but Lucy's aunt knew what she was doing. As she hurtled toward the ground she pulled a miniature broom from her pocket, grew it back to normal size with her wand, threw it between her legs and sped off. Madam Hooch stood in the middle of the field with her hands up and the whistle screaming. Ginny Potter did a loop around the stadium, hand outstretched for high fives all around. The students screamed her name as she flew past them. It wasn't everyday Hogwarts was visited by an international Quidditch star. She sped past the Gryffindors and landed in the commentary box.

"Can I borrow that?" the megaphone caught her voice. The Ravenclaw stared at her then stuttered as he handed it off.

"HEY HOGWARTS!" Ginny Potter, yelled to the crowd. Lucy sat at the edge of her seat, her grin threatening to split her cheeks. "WELCOME TO THE SIXTH ANNUAL WEASLEY'S WIZARD WHEEZES FLASH PARTY!"

From her seat, Aunt Hermione waved her wand, and suddenly all around the pitch, the stadium exploded in lights, balloons, and streamers which Lucy and her cousins had hidden almost a week ago. Music pounded through the air. Suddenly Ron Weasley and Harry Potter were on brooms too. They flew low, over the crowds, sprinkling WWW goods out of their pockets. The crowd was absolutely thunderous.

Ginny Potter mounted her broom, did another loop and stopped by the Gryffindors again where she pulled Hermione Granger on. Together they sped around the field, Aunt Hermione charming the stands to bounce their students up and down, and following the charm with a quick protection spell (her condition for participating) so that no one would suddenly be thrown out of the stands.

All around her Hogwarts students were besides themselves. Her Aunts and Uncles took their positions. Uncle Harry dropped back into the Slytherin stands, Aunt Hermione with the Ravenclaws, Uncle Ron in front of her with the Hufflepuffs, and Aunt Ginny in the Gryffindor stands. Together they led the four houses in a fist-pumping, beat throbbing dancing. Down on the field Albus and James were dancing arm-in-arm. Hugo pumped his broom in the air. Rosie swung her hair, and Freddie and Lily started break dancing.

Lucy glanced over at the staff stands. A range of emotions played across their face. Professor Longbottom was doubled over-no matter how hard he tried to be stern about their antics, he always ended up laughing. Other professors looked torn between rushing the field and staying put to enjoy the show. Some were even nodding their heads to the music. Madam Longbottom, who worked in the Hospital Wing, looked up at the Headmistress, both amused and nervous about what was to come.

Headmistress McGonagall sat in her seat, perfectly still, her eyes closed.

The party lasted exactly 15 minutes. Her Aunts and Uncle exercised their control of the crowd, just by holding their arms out. Aunt Ginny flew back into the commentator's box.

"We have a game to play!" she shouted, and the Weasley players shot back into the air, quickly followed by all of their teammates who continued playing as if nothing had happened at all. At least it looked that way if you ignored their smiles.

After the game, Jane Longbottom could be found telling everyone she'd better be invited to come back for the next one, while other students talked about how it wasn't possible for them to top themselves again.

* * *

><p>Hours later, in her office, Headmistress McGonagall couldn't breathe properly. She wasn't sure whether she should be white hot with fury or swelling with pride as she ran her eyes over the Weasley children. That they could pull something like this off was incredibly impressive, whether she wanted to admit it or not.<p>

"I should take your badges for this," she growled at James, Albus, Louis, and Dominique.

Ginny Potter stepped forward. "Professor, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't understand why the children are here at all. Have they done something wrong?" she asked sweetly.

"Mrs. Potter-"

"I can assure you, Headmistress," said Hermione Granger in her usual professional manner. "The children were not involved. What Harry, Ron, Ginny, and I did was extremely inappropriate. We set a bad example, and we are terribly sorry for the difficulties we've cause you. But the children did not participate in our nonsense. It would be unfair and inappropriate to punish them, wouldn't you say?"

Ms. Granger looked properly sympathetic and ashamed of herself. Naturally, she was right. The children themselves had not raised a single finger during the whole exchange. They hadn't incited the crowd or distributed the products. All they had done was dance along with their peers.

"You realize that you are encouraging this behavior, and that I am not foolish enough to believe that they," she jabbed at finger at the kids standing silently to the side, "were in no way involved."

"Please Professor. We, Ginny and I, were just thinking we'd have a bit of fun," said Mr. Weasley. "We dragged Hermione and Harry into it, but our kids didn't know. We thought we'd surprise them. Play into the rumors. We are truly sorry."

"It will never happen again," Mr. Potter assured her.

She stared at them all for a moment. "Get out of my office," she said finally.

The four of them obliged, taking their children, nieces, and nephews with them.

Minerva McGonagall shook her head and ran her hands over her face.

"Never believe a Potter," she muttered.

* * *

><p>The Potters and Weasleys made their way from the Headmistress' office silently. Striding behind most of her cousins, Lucy couldn't believe their luck. Technically, she and her cousin had done nothing but plant the materials for the party, but she was sure McGonagall would do her best to slap down detention, at least. She was even more surprised her aunts and uncle had actually pulled through. They looked ecstatic in the midst of it all, but she had been afraid they'd get nervous and cut it off-instead, they'd helped them beat their record: longest party and most people invited.<p>

When they finally reached a "safe" distance Aunt Hermione spun around, her lips pulled tight as she tried not to laugh. Then she burst out laughing. It had taken hours and weeks to get Aunt Hermione on board and here she was laughing so hard tears ran down her face.

"Did-you-see-her-face!" she gasped and hunched over. Slowly, the others' confused faces split into grins too. Uncle Harry started chuckling. Then Uncle Ron and Aunt Ginny until finally they were all laughing.

"Aunt Ginny, that Ravenclaw looked like he was going to wet himself when you talked to him," squealed Roxanne.

When they'd finally died down, Aunt Hermione took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. "That was insane," she said, shaking her head.

"I bet McGonagall thought she was done with us twenty years ago," said Uncle Harry looking over his shoulder.

"Aw she loves us," said Aunt Ginny. She flipped her hair and batted her eyes sweetly.

The way they had all gotten off, thought Lucy, she must have.


End file.
